Rhonda Lynn Hellenga's Obituary
Rhonda Hellenga passed away peacefully in her home in Spring Lake, Michigan, on Thursday, September 12, 2024, after a long battle with Posterior Cortical Atrophy. She was 60 years old.
Rhonda, an exuberant soul with boundless energy and optimism, was born in Viborg, South Dakota, on November 9, 1963, to Clyde Mills and Audrey (DeNeui) Mills. She spent her formative years in Hurley, South Dakota, and on a dairy farm near Lennox, South Dakota, owned by her mother and stepfather, Darell Eide. It was here where she would learn the value of hard work. It was also here where she would thrive in a social circle of friends and family where the highlight would be the many parties put on by her mom and Darell. Rhonda began her education in Hurley and Chancellor, South Dakota. She attended high school in Lennox where she expanded her horizons and participated in a wide variety of activities including band, choir, theater, and debate. It was said that she basically tried her hand at everything except for athletics, but this is not technically true as she was the very energetic Oriole mascot for the Lennox sports teams. In addition, Rhonda was active in 4-H, her local church, and the Sioux Falls Community Playhouse. She graduated from Lennox High School in 1982, and she was ready to use all of her skills and experiences in pursuit of the career that would consume her professional life and bring her immense pride and joy: Educator.
In the fall of 1982, Rhonda enrolled at Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa. It was here that she would meet her future husband, Lon. They were quite a couple: she was vivacious while he was taciturn, she loved science while he favored English and history, she was a brilliant student and the hardest worker he had ever met, while he would read and study everything but what he was supposed to and steal her notes for the classes they took together. But they made it work. In May 1986, Rhonda graduated with a B.A. in Biology and Education. Later that same month, on May 17, Rhonda and Lon would wed at the Lennox Ebenezer Presbyterian Church in Lennox, South Dakota. They were now ready to begin the next chapter of their lives as husband and wife.
In the fall of 1986, Rhonda and Lon moved to Stephan, South Dakota, to begin their first teaching experience at the Crow Creek Tribal School. Rhonda loved teaching from the very beginning. She taught science at the middle and high school levels. She was also the cheer coach and a class advisor (she also loved to put on dances). Rhonda genuinely cared for her students. She was able to be both a friend to them and a classroom teacher that they could respect and learn from. She would continue to gracefully walk this fine line for the rest of her career. On April 9, 1990, Rhonda and Lon welcomed their first child, their daughter Kaylee, into the world, and Rhonda added a new title: Mother.
For their next adventure, the young family would move to New Mexico in the fall of 1990 where Rhonda and Lon would begin teaching at Borrego Pass School near Crownpoint. Rhonda was not planning on teaching right away as she had an infant daughter, but she was coaxed into teaching reading part time while Kaylee was cared for by a family just two houses from the school. Rhonda eventually taught reading and science full time (she put on a few dances too), and she also was in charge of the summer school program. Rhonda and Lon would stay in New Mexico for four years before returning to South Dakota where she would teach one year in Kimball. On July 22, 1995, Rhonda and Lon would welcome their second child, their daughter Sydney, into the world.
Minnesota was the next stop in Rhonda's journey. The family moved to Slayton in 1995 and would stay for thirteen years. Rhonda was not a full-time teacher in Slayton, but she found steady work and enjoyment as a popular substitute teacher. She endeared herself to many as she strived to treat everyone she knew with respect and compassion and to meet them where they were without passing judgment. In recognition of this, she was chosen by the senior class one year to be their graduation speaker. One of her favorite memories of Slayton involved theater, as she and Lon directed nearly forty plays during their time there. This creative outlet involved both of their daughters as well. Rhonda also spent many hours at Skandia Evangelical Free Church where she was in charge of the youth group for a time along with other duties. She was a dynamo, and in 2006, on top of all her other commitments, she returned to the classroom to begin her master's degree program (M.S. Ed) at Southwest Minnesota State University, graduating in 2008.
Following this long, fruitful stay in Minnesota, Rhonda, Lon, and Sydney (Kaylee stayed to begin college at SMSU) began a new chapter in Las Vegas starting in the fall of 2008. They would stay for eleven years. Rhonda returned to full-time teaching at Rancho High School. She continued to be a force to be reckoned with, as she poured her life into her students. Her only regret was that she was unable to continue directing plays as the opportunity did not present itself. A second master's degree (M. Ed.) would follow from Southern Utah University. Unfortunately, it was in Las Vegas where the first symptoms of the disease which would take her life began to appear. She would have to cease teaching entirely in 2016 after thirty years in the classroom. Fortunately, she had an ever-expanding group of grandchildren to spoil, and she would try to see them every day. Through it all, her spirit and optimism never faded. She also remained steadfast in her devotion to Jesus, and she always found something to be thankful for.
Finally, in 2019, Rhonda and Lon moved to Michigan where they could be close to family as her disease progressed. Sydney stayed in Las Vegas to continue work on her elementary education degree. Rhonda adapted well to her new home in Spring Lake, and she continued to spoil her grandchildren. She was well known in the local thrift shops as she was always looking for something "for the children" or just for something that caught her discerning eye. Rhonda ultimately would be admitted to memory care in Norton Shores where she was a staff favorite, and she was still able to see her loved ones and her beloved dog (Bear) often. Family continued to be important to her until the very end. Even when she could not speak, she would always perk up at the sound of her mom's voice, the touch of a hug from either of her two girls, or the chatter of all those grandchildren. Hers was a full life, and it was well lived.
Rhonda was preceded in death by her paternal grandparents Lee and Edna Mills, her maternal grandparents Royal and Helen DeNeui, her father Clyde Mills, her mother-in-law Renate Hellenga, her brother-in-law Thad Hellenga, and her uncle Robert DeNeui.
She is survived by her husband of thirty-eight years, Lon; her daughters Kaylee (Charles) Freeman of Spring Lake, Michigan, and Sydney (Robert) Fishel of Las Vegas, Nevada; seven grandchildren (August, Hugo, Samuel, Audrey, Roya and Leon Freeman, along with the soon-to-arrive Michael [Micah] Fishel); her mother Audrey (Darell) Eide of Lennox, South Dakota; her father-in-law Ron (Sherryl) Hellenga of Traverse City, Michigan; her stepmother Denise Mills of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; her brother Richard Mills of Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota; her brother Randy (Lisa) Mills of Rochester, Minnesota; her sister Shelly (Shannon) Naser of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; her brother Shon (Gerri) Eide of Gettysburg, South Dakota; her sister-in-law Tanya (Duane) Baldwin of Lake City, Michigan; and numerous aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and friends.
A CELEBRATION OF LIFE will occur at 4 p.m. on November 9, 2024, (Rhonda's birthday) at Ferrysburg Community Church (17785 Mohawk Drive, Spring Lake, MI 49456) with Pastor Nate Visker presiding. Interment will be held at the Spring Lake Township Cemetery. Arrangements entrusted to The Spring Lake Chapel of Sytsema Funeral & Cremation Services (213 E. Savidge St., Spring Lake, MI 49456). To share special memories with the family, please visit www.sytsemafh.com.
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